Accepted gender rules of behavior are transgressed in this year’s new crop of award winning short films presented in partnership, for the fifth consecutive year, with PlanetOut Inc., the leading media company exclusively serving the LGBT community. Gratitude to Scion, who return for a second year to generously underwrite the $15,000 cash prizes for filmmakers allocated as follows: A $1,000 “Member Choice Award” voted by PlanetOut.com and Gay.com members across all five competing categories (Best Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Experimental); Individual competing category awards of $1,000 to four winning short film directors; and drum-roll please, an astonishing $10,000 to the Grand Prize Winner as determined by our esteemed national jury. Directors Katrina del Mar (Surf Gang), Leigh Iacobucci (Jaywalking), Roberta Maria Munroe (Dani and Alice), and Director JC Oliva and Producer Joe Brouillette (Sissy Frenchfry) will attend the screening to accept their awards.

BEST EXPERIMENTAL: Surf Gang, Dir. Katrina del Mar, US, 2002-2005, super8mm and mini DV transferred to video, 24 min. WORLD PREMIERE. In this fantastical gorgeously photographed tale, a turf war erupts when a gang of tough punkalicious New York City surfer girls,"The Rockaway Ruffnecks", travel out of their hood in search of new territory. They encounter more than they bargained for when they meet “The Ungratefuls.”

BEST DOCUMENTARY:Jaywalking, Dir. Leigh Iacobucci and Kathy Huang, US, 2005, video, 9 min. FLORIDA PREMIERE. San Francisco Drag King performance artists Jay Walker (Jeannie Sevelius) and Elvis Herself (Leigh Crow) creatively challenge fixed rules of gender.

BEST DRAMA: Dani and Alice, Dir. Roberta Maria Munroe, US, 2005, 35mm, 12 min. SOUTH FLORIDA PREMIERE (Festival version). Tackling a subject rarely visualized on screen, this award winning drama chronicles the last five hours of an abusive African-American relationship with great sensitivity. Starring Yolanda Ross (Stranger Inside) and Guinevere Turner (Go Fish, The L Word).

BEST ANIMATION: Butler, Dir Erik Rosenlund, Sweden, 2005, 35mm, 9 min. FLORIDA PREMIERE. A tuxedoed butler finds himself caught up in the middle of a bizarre love triangle as he juggles to address his employers’ needs. But will all his additional job duties be fully appreciated?

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Sissy Frenchfry, Dir. JC Oliva, US, 2005, video, 25 min. FLORIDA PREMIERE. In this hilarious and heartwarming film, West Beach High’s student body President Sissy Frenchfry is quirky, happy-go-lucky, likeable and did we mention …openly gay. Sissy’s popularity is put to the test when a charismatic and ambitious transfer student, hunky Bodey McDodey, arrives and attempts to “fix” the progressive campus. Starring Leslie Jordan (Sordid Lives, Will & Grace) as Principal Principle and Miss Coco Peru (Trick, Girls Will Be Girls, Straight-Jacket) as the Head Administrator.

Total running time: 79 min

SPECIAL EVENT: Followed by PlanetOut Reception at The Spire rooftop bat at The Hotel of South Beach, 801 Collins Ave., FREE for all PlanetOut Short Movie Awards ticket holders & MGLFF Producer’s Circle members.

Films not eligible for HBO Audience Favorite Short Award.

Regal South Beach
3:15 pm Screening
$12 Non-Members/ $10 Members - BUY TICKETS